Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag ahead of the opening game of the Premier League season: "That team is not ready, but the league starts and there are more managers to deal with this problem."; Watch Man Utd vs Fulham live on Sky Sports Premier League from 6.30pm on Friday; kick-off 8pm
Saturday 17 August 2024 07:41, UK
Erik ten Hag admits Manchester United are not ready for their Premier League opener against Fulham on Friday night.
Ten Hag confirmed this week's new signings Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui will go straight into his squad for Fulham's visit to Old Trafford, live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event.
But Joshua Zirkzee and teenage defender Leny Yoro will both miss United's Premier League opener, with Ten Hag also managing the fitness of a number of players who have reported for training at different stages of the summer due to international commitments.
"It's true it's not the pre-season where you can in five, six weeks work on the team," Ten Hag said. "It's very complicated.
"We had the USA tour squad, then we add the players who did the Euros and Copa America, and now new signings and now we have to make a team from it.
"That team is not ready, but the league starts - and there are more managers to deal with this problem.
"We definitely have this problem but, still, we have some rules, some principles and we have to make a start.
"We can't hide ourselves, we can't run away from it, so we have to deal with it."
Ten Hag worked with both De Ligt and Mazraoui at Ajax and confirmed they would be involved against Fulham as United start the campaign with some absentees.
"Issues are there but it's not about the players who are not available," the Dutchman said. "It's also what I said always last season.
"It's about the players who are available and we have a good group, we can make a strong selection, we can put out a strong team so we will do."
Asked if De Ligt and Mazraoui were ready to start, and about Harry Maguire's fitness after sustaining a knock in the Community Shield, Ten Hag said: "They will be in the squad. Harry Maguire will be in the squad as well."
Rasmus Hojlund and Yoro are out with injuries sustained on the pre-season tour of the United States, while left-backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are unavailable just as they were at the end of last term.
The latter is recovering from a knee issue that kept him out of the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign, while Shaw is sidelined until after September's international break with a calf complaint.
"I think he will return in the short term," Ten Hag said of the England international. "It doesn't take long.
"We are looking forward, of course, to Luke Shaw (returning). A very important player for our team.
"He is massively important so we want to get him back as soon as possible but we can't force this process."
Manchester United will start their 2024/25 Premier League season with a home fixture against Fulham, live on Sky Sports, and face Liverpool in the opening month of the season.
The opening game of the new campaign will be played on Friday August 16, with kick-off at 8pm.
United then travel to Brighton before their first big derby of the season at home to Liverpool on Sunday September 1.
The reverse fixture will be played at the start of 2025 with a trip to Anfield on January 4.
Fans will have to wait until December for the first Manchester derby of the season, away at Manchester City on December 14. The reverse fixture at Old Trafford will be played on April 5.
Boxing Day will see Man Utd travel to Wolves, and they will finish the 2024/25 campaign at home to Aston Villa on May 25.
Watch Manchester United vs Fulham live on Sky Sports Premier League from 6.30pm on Friday; kick-off 8pm
